Rumor: Rumor & Proposals: The sound of silence (Free Agency opens 12PM EST)

[TKB21]

Thank god!

 

[frag2]

So you don't think if he's put on the powerplays 12 points is atainable? Or feeding mcdavid pucks won't increase his point totals? He will get those extra 12 points playing for the oilers.

There must be a reason NJ didn't play him on the PP. Hell, Chiarelli admitted that PP wasn't Larsson's forte so it's not unreasonable to NOT expect much offense from him.

 

[T-Funk]

 

[Defsta]

Im happy about that, if they are only overpaying for one guy.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Have I been underrating him or have you been overrating him? He just got traded for someone you all seem to think is not worth it. I'm trying to say he is worth it.

Larsson played the toughest competition out of anyone in the NHL last year. He had the highest % of defensive zone starts. He played big minutes and performed better than any other defenceman on the New Jersey Devils. The Devils are one of if not the best defensively run teams in the entire league. They barely get scored on. Scheider's numbers are vastly different when Larsson is on the ice vs. when he's not. Larsson does a good job at suppressing scoring opportunities.

The only metric anyone could use to say Larsson isn't a top pairing defenceman is that he put up 18 points. I will argue the forward talent in New Jersey is far worse than any other team in the league. I will point you to their goals per game being dead last. I will point you to Larsson having no PP time and having the highest % of defensive zone starts out of ANY OTHER DEFENCEMAN IN THE NHL.

Yet, he ended up a +12 and has proven he is capable of shutting down the leagues best players. Give him a bit of PP time and he would be a 24+ minute a game player instead of a 22 minute a game player with capability of playing 28, 29 minutes a game if need be. This guy outperformed Andy Greene on the best defensive team in the league.

Explain to me how, besides point totals, this guy is not a top pairing defenceman. I have been critical of Hall over the years because he puts up points and brings nothing else. Last season he struggled to put up points. A similar player in Phil Kessel was traded for essentially a late 1st round pick. We got back a top pairing RHD for Hall. I feel we got a way better return than Toronto did for a very similar player.

I assume you've done little to be able to assess Larsson's game other than google his stats. Read New Jersey fans opinions on him. Watch shifts of his. Think critically about the type of player we gave up, the type of player we got back, and the type of players the Oilers need. I don't think we lost this trade with New Jersey. I think the Oilers, especially when we sign Lucic, got a lot more competitive.

The following players goal differential per 60 minutes at even strength improved by the following amount from (2012-16) when they got the benefit of playing with Taylor compared to when they were not playing with him. Also included how much their GF% improved with Hall (GF% is Goals For/ (Goals For + Goals Against))

RNH= 1.1 GD/60 improvement (GF% 42.1 --> 52.1)
Eberle=1.16 GD/60 improvement (GF% 43.4 --> 53.9)
J. Schultz= 1.11 GD/60 improvement (GF% 40.3 --> 51.4)
Draisaitl= 1.21 GD/60 improvement (GF% 35.9 --> 49.4)
Klefbom= 2.56 GD/60 improvement (GF% 33.9 --> 58.5) (smaller sample size 497 mins)

When Larsson does the above for his teammates then you might be able to convince me it was a good deal. People who just point at Halls points or who say d is a more important position than wing, so we won are completely missing how impactful a player Hall was.

 

[Kerricthebig]

I won't be surprised by a 7 year deal. The term is important to him. Quite likely, most of the other teams were trying for a 4 year deal (like Van, LA did).

If it is 6/7 x 5.5 or maybe less with declining value in the later years, that's cool.

 

[CupofOil]

I really hope that Rishaug is right. Exactly what I wanted to hear today. Focus on Barrie, lets not overpay for another Sekera, a lower level Sekera.

 

[NewSaskOil]

Really hoping the Oilers keep Lucic at 6 years at 6 mill per year at this point. It's already an overpayment but don't add more term or money to that.

I'm thinking he we sign with us for 6x6 which is awesome. He is the top free agent this year and we are going to get him. All those years of other teams fans of kicking us when were down and making fun of our city ends this season. I can't wait for the season to start .Boom!

 

[NewBoysClub97*]

 

[s7ark]

You're speaking in absolutes. Not everybody in the hockey world agrees with your opinion and to state it as such and say that's that is pretty presumptuous on your part. I'd expect better from you to be honest.

Nobody will know who wins this hockey trade for at least a couple of years. There are plenty of trades that didn't look good at the time that wound up looking completely different in time.

Look at the reactions from fans and the media after the deal. How many people were saying the Oilers won it?

Of course it could look better with hindsight. That's obvious. What isn't obvious is why Chia needed to jump at the deal and make us desperate for lucic. If lucic wants to play with McDavid we are the only team that can offer that. No reason at all to put us behind the 8 ball with regards to negotiating with him.

 

[frag2]

The following players goal differential per 60 minutes at even strength improved by the following amount from (2012-16) when they got the benefit of playing with Taylor compared to when they were not playing with him. Also included how much their GF% improved with Hall (GF% is Goals For/ (Goals For + Goals Against))

RNH= 1.1 GD/60 improvement (GF% 42.1 --> 52.1)
Eberle=1.16 GD/60 improvement (GF% 43.4 --> 53.9)
J. Schultz= 1.11 GD/60 improvement (GF% 40.3 --> 51.4)
Draisaitl= 1.21 GD/60 improvement (GF% 35.9 --> 49.4)
Klefbom= 2.56 GD/60 improvement (GF% 33.9 --> 58.5) (smaller sample size 497 mins)

When Larsson does the above for his teammates then you might be able to convince me it was a good deal. People who just point at Halls points or who say d is a more important position than wing, so we won are completely missing how impactful a player Hall was.

Arguing with him is pointless. Duul would rather Hall falter to 'prove' his point than to watch him succeed

 

[TKB21]

Never change Montreal never change!

 

[McFlyingV]

So you don't think if he's put on the powerplays 12 points is atainable? Or feeding mcdavid pucks won't increase his point totals? He will get those extra 12 points playing for the oilers.

Something important to note is that when Larsson wasn't given as harsh zone starts the season prior he was on pace for 30P (only played 60 some) so expecting 30 isn't out of the question. If you actually saw him at all in his rookie year when he wasn't thrust into a shut down role he actually showed some great offensive instincts and tools. He has good vision for slap-passes and he has a quality wrister from the circle.

 

[s7ark]

So you don't think if he's put on the powerplays 12 points is atainable? Or feeding mcdavid pucks won't increase his point totals? He will get those extra 12 points playing for the oilers.

Maybe. But not certainly. That's my point.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

If true, that's hilarious

 

[Faelko]

Barrie is going to be tough to acquire until (if) they get a replacement for him.

Demers became redundant the minute Larsson signed and isn't really the PP option we're looking for.

Lucic about to get PAID!!! Lol.

 

[TKB21]

Look at the reactions from fans and the media after the deal. How many people were saying the Oilers won it?

Of course it could look better with hindsight. That's obvious. What isn't obvious is why Chia needed to jump at the deal and make us desperate for lucic. If lucic wants to play with McDavid we are the only team that can offer that. No reason at all to put us behind the 8 ball with regards to negotiating with him.

Chia doesn't make that deal unless he had it on good authority that Lucic signs here. It's no coincidence that the deal was pulled off just after Lucic visited.

 

[Asher]

I think expecting a 66% scoring increase just because a guy changes teams is kinda comical. 12 p may seem easy to get, but when a guy only scores 18 over a full year, is it really?

It could happen... I think just about anyone's point totals would go up significantly if they got minutes with McD. The bigger question for me is whether or not that means anything. How much is he actually contributing to the offense versus how much his numbers are being inflated by playing with McD. We'll have to see.

 

[Staghorn]

I wonder what term and $ they paid that flake?

 

[Digger12]

I would much rather have Barrie than Demers, so the news that the Oilers might be targeting the former over the latter pleases me. It's also not surprising considering Larsson is essentially a better Demers and on an excellent contract.

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

Nice to see Radulov sign in Montreal, he's too skilled not to be playing in the NHL.

 

[destro909]

I hope you're right. The real problem with the deal is that Larsson has to have every single thing go perfectly for the Oilers to even break even on the deal. All of the risk is with the Oilers.

That being said, it's pretty clear what they were doing before was not working, so I guess some new way to suck isn't all bad....haha.

Truthfully I do hope Larsson tears it up. I'm just not expecting it.

NJ is also taking on significant risk with this deal. Look at their defensive depth now after trading Larsson, they did not have a lot there. But more importantly, they are risking that Hall goes back to being a PPG player instead of the 60-65 point player he's been the past two seasons. He's also a big injury risk as we know well.

 

[joestevens29]

Didn't he just sign in Russia?

 

[CupofOil]

Look at the reactions from fans and the media after the deal. How many people were saying the Oilers won it?

Of course it could look better with hindsight. That's obvious. What isn't obvious is why Chia needed to jump at the deal and make us desperate for lucic. If lucic wants to play with McDavid we are the only team that can offer that. No reason at all to put us behind the 8 ball with regards to negotiating with him.

Fans and media always have emtional reactions to big deals like that and I'm not saying that the Oilers won the deal by any stretch as Hall is a better player today than Larsson is but I see it as a necessary deal to bring in a top pairing shutdown defender.

I saw Larsson play a handful of times last season, you're going to really like this player. Saw him live twice and he's a hulking presence in person, lots of upside as a premier shutdown guy. It might take a couple of years for him to get there but I think we'll be content with this trade in due time. Sucks to lose Hall of course, I'm not trying to diminish his accomplishments. I'm just happy that the Oilers got a RHD stud Dman.

 

[McFlyingV]

There must be a reason NJ didn't play him on the PP. Hell, Chiarelli admitted that PP wasn't Larsson's forte so it's not unreasonable to NOT expect much offense from him.

Probably because they were trying to help him develop his defensive game and trying to build him back up after Deboer almost ruined him. I don't know if he'll ever be a #1 PP guy but a #2 is certainly possible. He has shown he has the tools and he played a bunch of PP his rookie season and all his time in Sweden.